We understand that business isn't personal, but this borders on cruelty.

At the very least, it lacked respect. Ad agencies live and die by these decisions, and although Deutsch will do just fine without the O.B. tampons business in Canada, Kadlec seems to have coupled Deutsch's pink slip with an unnecessary slap in the face.

In hindsight, that report was wrong. The review was obviously near to completion, and Deutsch was already out of the running.

Perhaps it was all an unfortunate miscommunication. J&J did not immediately respond for comment. (We'll update this post if Kadlec gets back to us.) Deutsch, understandably, hasn't returned our email either.

The upshot is that Kadlec left Deutsch twisting in the wind. Then she gave the agency a public pat on the head in front of all of its peers, rivals and potential new clients.

And then — with the applause still ringing in her ears — she took Deutsch out to the woodshed.